Incumbent Melanie Wellons won the Republican Primary for the District 8 seat on the Horry County Board of Education Tuesday, defeating challenger James Berry by nearly 1,000 votes, according to unofficial election results.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited,鈥 Wellons said. 鈥淸It鈥檚 the] first time I鈥檝e ever been in an election. So it鈥檚 kind of surreal, you know.鈥
The District 8 race saw Wellons receive 2,400 votes (63%), with Berry receiving 1,411 votes (37%). Election officials plan to certify the results Thursday.
With no Democratic opposition, Wellons is a lock to take the seat.
鈥淭he plan is to get in there, work hard and take care of our students, teachers and staff and make Horry County the best district in the state,鈥 Wellons said.
Following the death of vice chairman John Poston in January 2021, Wellons was chosen by the board to serve for the rest of Poston鈥檚 term. She was officially appointed to the District 8 seat in April 2021.
The district seat serves parts of Forestbrook, Carolina Forest and the Conway area.
鈥淚鈥檝e got some big shoes to fill, but I鈥檓 up for the challenge and I hope that I can do that," she said after she was selected for the post. "I feel as though it will be a very smooth transition for all of us.鈥
A Conway native and graduate of Conway High School, Wellons is the vice president of Arnold鈥檚 Pools. She also received a degree from Coastal Carolina University.
She previously served five years on the Carolina Forest High School Improvement Council and five years on the Carolina Forest Advisory Board.
Wellons and her husband David T. Wellons Jr. have two children: Madalyn Wellons and David T. Wellons III. She is a resident of Conway.
School board members serve four-year terms and are paid $15,966 per year.聽
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